Improvement in treadles



, U'ivrrnp STATES.

PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE B. KIRKHAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN TREAKDLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 13603, dated March 11, 187B.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE BYRON KIRK- HAM, of No. 167 East Thirty-third street, New York city, county and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Treadles or Foot-Powers, of which the following is a speciiication:

The object of this invention is to provide a foot-power which is applicable to sewing-machines, jig-saws, hand-lathes, and the like, which will always turn the iiy-wheel in the right direction with a noiseless and positive motion.

Figure 1 is a general view of the invention, showing the various angles at which the bearing-arms can be placed. Fig. 2 shows a moditication, with double pitman and curved arms. Fig. 3 is an end view of the iiy-wheel and bev.- eled arms. Fig. 4 is an end view of a shallow grooved wheel and beveled arms. Fig. 5 is an end view of a at wheel and arms. Fig. 6 is an end view of a beveled wheel and grooved arms.

Part of this improvement in treadles is anticipated in a previous patent of mine, December 5, 1871 but in that patent I represented the bearing-arms as being always vertical in a line with the pitman, and with a great deal of shifting apparatus; but I have since found by experiment that it is better to put the bearing-arms at an angle to the pitman, and to attach the shifting apparatus, when required, to the treadle and pitman in the shape of friction-clutches F F and H I K, Fig. 1; also, I have made various modifications in the bevels and grooves of the arms and wheels.

In Fig. 1, A is the fly-wheel of the machine; B B', the bearing-arms; C, the pitman, and D, the treadle. The beveled arms B B', with their body E, can be set by al a, at any angle with the pitman from vertical to a right angle,

as indicated by the dotted lines; but the angie represented in black lines is about the best iu practice.

When the treadle D and pitman C are raised the arm Bl catches in the groove of the flywheel A and runs from B to E, causing the wheel to revolve in the direction of the arrow. When the treadle and pitman are lowered the upper arm B strikes in the groove'ot' A and runs from E to B, continuing the revolution of A in the same direction. These bearing-arms B Bf may be either rigidor of a exible material; but if of the latter they must be tightly stretched by screws, or by any suitable means. To keep the pitman (l steady, and in order that it may offer some resistance to the backward and forward motion caused by A B B', I have attached to it and the treadle various friction-clutches, F F and H I K. These can be used together or separately, as they may be needed. In operation they act as a shiftin g apparatus, and increase the vtraction of the arms B B against A.' F F are two frictionclutches, hinged to the treadle and pressing on either side of the pitman. against the sides of the pitlnan is regulated by the screw and circular spring G. H isla prolongation of the pitman C, Kvaprolongation of the treadle, and I a slide pressed against H by the spring J. I and K, being on either side of H, produce considerable friction, which is what is requisite to steady the pitman.

When it is necessary to have a very uniform motion to the wheel A the arms B B must be curved somewhat, as shown in Fig. 2; also, there can be used the double pitman C C in the place of the body E to hold the arms B B. As the arms B B or wheel A wear by constant use, there would soon result a disagreeable rattling noise. To prevent this and keep the arms B B always snug to the wheel -A setscrews b b are used to bring the arms B B nearer together when necessary.

In Fig. 3 is shown the wheel A with a deep groove and beveled arms B B. Between the two halves of A are placed several disks, c c,

In Fig. 4 is shown a shallow groove and broad bevel.

In Fig. 5 both the arms B B and wheel A are flat where they bear against each other.

Their surfaces could also be curved either way v but it is not necessary to represent this.

In Fig. 6 the wheel A is beveled and the arms B B are grooved. Any degree of bevel or groove can be usedfrom the sharpest acute Their pressure A set-serews b b, and doublepitman C C', substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

4. The arrangement of the two halves of the wheel A A', disks c c, screws d d, with grooves, bevels, curved or flat surfaces to the arms B B and Wheel A A', substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

GEORGE BYRON KIRKHAM.

Witnesses:

A. L. WATSON, H. M. PAIN. 

